Steve Lewis Talks About Visiting Michael Alig In Prison, And How Working At Blackbook Magazine Is Like "Playing At Yankee Stadium."

by Rachelle Hruska · September 24, 2008

"Don't you think it's funny that some people spend their whole lives trying to become writers and then you just show up one day and get a column for Blackbook Magazine?" -Steve Lewis' girlfriend to him

Steve Lewis may be obnoxious and crass at times, but he's also charming and sweet. Enough so to scoop up a lady that is not only an attractive young bombshell, but intelligent to boot. He's been a successful club manager for decades, and has designed spaces that will go down in history. Then he decided he would reinvent himself and try being a computer geek for a bit. It's hard to imagine what our city's blogosphere would be like without uncle Steve relaying his secrets for us, a job he undertook only 7 months ago, and one that brought him back into my life. Today, Steve has turned over yet another new leaf: he has left Joonbug and moved to Blackbook Magazine, where he will debut with a post that will have everyone talking. Steve, ever faithful, and always good to his word, called me up today to give me the first scoop. I answered from the Omaha airport, a most fitting setting for the town he derives my nickname from.

Me: "Why now? Why are you leaving Joonbug at this point in time and was the decision a hard one?"SL: It was definitely a hard decision. I have always respected and supported the guys at Joonbug and will continue doing so. I'm good friends with Jon (Jon Gabel bought the publication this summer), and plan on helping them on projects such as New Years Eve. But it's not every day that you get asked to be part of an organization like Blackbook Magazine. I think I got as far as I could at Joonbug, I took it as far as I could go and now I'm ready for the next level, a new opportunity. It's like playing at Yankee Stadium for me...

Me: Will you keep up with your blog, "Good Night Mr. Lewis"? Will the structure be the same?SL: The name will be the same but the structure will be revamped a bit. I will shorten things up a bit. I think there is a balance that needs to be taken. I always wanted to paint a story for readers of the bold names they were coming across in Page Six that they never really got to know, but I think that some of my posts are a bit too long for the laymen. I will do two day runs instead of three and will not be limited to just the night clubs and that culture.

And why should I, or anyone for that matter, be limited to one thing anyway? I don't have to just stop at being this guy that ran or designed nightclubs. I have come to find writing fun and natural. I used to only DREAM about writing a book and now, now I know it will happen without a shadow of a doubt. I don't just DREAM about it, I look FORWARD to the day it gets published.

Me: Will you continue to just be an online presence or, because of your new publisher, will you go to print?SL: I would love to get some articles printed in the actual magazine. I guess we will see if I write anything that's interesting enough.

I don't think that's going to be a problem... Steve's first installment at Blackbook will be one that many eyes will be following. Last Tuesday, before I met him at the annual Nightlife Awards, Steve had spent the day upstate visiting an old friend by the name of Michael Alig.